- Supreme Court has directed Tarun Tejpal to surrender within two weeks and file a surrender certificate by September 22 for his appeal against the Bombay High Court's conviction to be heard on merits.
- The Bombay High Court on August 6 convicted Tejpal and sentenced him to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for raping a former colleague in 2013, overturning his 2021 acquittal in the case.
- The case pertains to allegations made by a female journalist who accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her inside a hotel elevator on November 7 and 8, 2013.
- Tejpal was arrested on November 30, 2013, on charges related to the incident.
- On September 29, 2017, he was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rape, sexual harassment, and wrongful confinement, but pleaded not guilty.
- In May 2021, the Goa Sessions Court acquitted Tejpal of all charges, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Supreme Court has mandated that Tarun Tejpal surrender within two weeks to facilitate the hearing of his appeal against a 10-year rape conviction. This ruling follows the Goa High Court's August 6 decision to overturn his 2021 acquittal, which had previously cleared him of all charges.125
Tejpal, 63, was convicted for raping a former colleague in 2013, with the High Court noting the gravity of the case. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta emphasized that Tejpal's appeal could only proceed if he filed a surrender certificate or sought an exemption from surrender. Justice Alok Aradhe rejected Tejpal's argument that he should not have to surrender, stating that the High Court's earlier stay on his conviction did not exempt him from this requirement.
The case stems from allegations made by a female journalist who accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her in a hotel elevator during a Tehelka event in November 2013. Tejpal was arrested on November 30, 2013, and charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape and sexual harassment. In May 2021, he was acquitted by the Goa Sessions Court, which found the prosecution's case insufficiently proven.346
However, the Goa government challenged this acquittal, leading to the High Court's conviction and subsequent sentencing of Tejpal to 10 years in prison. The court declined to impose the maximum penalty of life imprisonment, citing the absence of subsequent criminal misconduct by Tejpal since the incident occurred 13 years ago.
The Supreme Court's directive requires Tejpal to submit a surrender certificate by September 22 for his appeal to be listed for consideration.
“The Bombay High Court had imposed the minimum sentence of 10 years, rejecting the Goa government's plea for life imprisonment, noting no subsequent criminal misconduct. The Goa government has separately sought enhancement of the sentence to life imprisonment, while Tejpal, who has been on bail, claims he is a victim.”
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